Get ready to
participate in the annual International Forum of Visual Practitioners
(IFVP) conference to be held October 10-12 at the famous Marconi
Center in Bodega Bay (approximately an hours drive north of San
Francisco). The conference commences at 11:30am on Friday the 10th,
and will conclude at 2pm on Sunday the 12th. We will gather to share
our common experiences and to display our personal best in the field
of graphic information whilst learning and practicing along
the way! Read on!

What
to expect

The conference
is an interactive experience where practioners from across the world
will gather to share experiences, contribute to the event, and share
personal bests. The conference formally kicks off at 11:30am on
Friday, October 10, with both registration and lunch being available
at this time. The conference ends at 2pm on Sunday, October 12.
Heres a taste of whats to come:

Friday,
October 10We
will explore ways of growing our community through our work, our
structure and our resources. Together we will start the creation
of a graphic mural that will develop and grow over the course of
the three days. We will take a look at some very diverse graphic
styles, and have a chance to observe and engage in some real time
recording by talented professionals of our community. Newcomers
(or Newbies!) to the graphic recording/facilitation
field will have an opportunity to obtain a fun and creative overview
of this great profession. And we will bring the day to a close with
Graphic Jam, Bingo and Beer.

Saturday,
October 11Following
a hearty breakfast we will convene for an interactive day comprised
of sharing our personal best, exploring how to be masters of our
trade(s), and the unlocking of future applications of the visual
practitioner field. We will explore how to grow your field
be you a newbie, or a pro. Listen and learn
as our colleagues present some interesting and pertinent case studies.
As dusk descends upon us, hone your detective skills for a graphic
hunt in the woods with your best flashlight! Did we mention there
would be prizes?

Sunday,
October 12The start
of a new day will bring with it the gathering of our community for
a vision-building activity. We will explore our expansive, historical
past, and take a look at where our future leads us. This is also
the day when we will gather for our annual meeting and

Things
to be thinking about . and where we need YOUR
help!

Marketplace
We'll have wall and table space available and we encourage you to
bring samples of your work, etc. for others to view (probably around
4 feet of wall space per person; table space for those who need
it). The marketplace will be up throughout the conference so we
can all view the materials at our leisure. Susan Kelly is coordinating
the marketplace; if you have any questions, you can contact her
at: susankellylistens@mac.com

BookstoreWe're
going to have a bookstore displaying and offering for sale books
written by conference participants or of particular interest to
the field. Here are a couple of guidelines regarding having your
book(s) at the bookstore:

a) Authors
are to be responsible for getting the books to the conference, and
transporting any unsold items them back home. If you would like
to have your books shipped to the center beforehand, please ship
them to the attention of Susan Kelly (email
Susan for address). It is your responsibility to transport any
remaining stock back to your home.

b) We, as an
Association, do not want to sell books but we will take orders and
money to facilitate sales for the authors. However, the author is
responsible for the tax and will have to sign a statement to this
effect that we will hold in the Association office.

c) If you would
like to include one book a display book at the conference, we will
put it out with the sign up sheet if the author wishes. The author
can then work out the finances with the buyers.

IFVP WebsiteYour
IFVP Webteam members Brandy Agerbeck, Rob Benn, and Sean Griffin
are excited to announce the unveiling of the new and improved IFVP
Web site as part of the upcoming conference. In addition to the
unveiling we will be introducing the new Member Promotional Page.
When you sign up as a Member of the IFVP individuals/organizations
will receive a half meg templated promotional page to share their
work and service offerings. These pages will include the following:

Calling
all Web volunteers!We are looking for three (3) volunteers to support photographing
the walls created during the conference and making sure that the
program and names of the individuals are organized with the photos.
Contact Sean Griffin at skg@seangriffin.com
to sign up. We look forward to seeing you all at the 2003 Conference.

Donations
for scholarshipsWould
you like to donate to a 2003 Conference Scholarship Fund? Every
year we get requests from people who need financial assistance;
thanks to the generous help of our community, our scholarship fund
has helped enable participants who otherwise wouldnt have
been able to attend the conference to do so!

LogisticsThe conference
is being held at the Marconi Conference Center, located at 18500
Highway 1, Marshall, CA 94940.

Getting
thereFor
those coming from out of state, the closest airports to Marconi
are Oakland International Airport and San Francisco International
Airport.

Off-site
Accommodations
Conference attendees are encouraged to make their own accommodations
if staying in the area prior to or during the conference. A good
reference point for accommodations in the area can be found at:
http://www.visitmarin.org/frame.html

Conference
Cost and IFVP MembershipIn recognizing
that times are still tough, we have worked hard on coming up with
what we hope is an affordable cost for this years conference.
And not only that, but you are being guaranteed a great venue and
even better company! You will note that IFVP Member as well as Non-Member
rates are listed; if you become a paid member of the IFVP Association,
you receive a discount on the price of the conference. If you would
like to join the IFVP Association please complete the attached IFVP
Association Membership form and submit it along with your IFVP Conference
Registration form and payments. Mailing details are listed in both
the membership as well as the conference registration forms, please
email Sarah Kensler sarah@kenslersolutions.com

Full Conference,
Stay at the Marconi Center

$400.00
per person based on double occupancy (Non-member)

$350.00
per person based on double occupancy (IFVP Member)

$550.00
per person based on single occupancy (Non-member)

$500.00
per person based on single occupancy (IFVP Member)

This includes
all conference activities, meals as of Friday lunch through Sunday
lunch, and staying overnight Friday and Saturday at the conference
center. The rooms at the Conference Center are very comfortable,
bright, and spacious. For additional information on the accommodation,
go to: http://www.visitmarin.org/frame.html

One Day
at the Conference

$200 per
person (Non-Member)

$175 per
person (IFVP Member)

This price
includes conference activities and meals for the day.

Full Conference,
Staying Off-site**

$280 per
person (Non-member)

$245 per
person (IFVP Member)

** Note: there
are no hotels within close proximity to the Marconi Conference Center;
consequently, we highly recommend that conference attendees stay
on-site at the center.

This option
includes all conference activities and meals (Friday lunch through
Sunday lunch). For more information on local accommodations, visit:
http://www.visitmarin.org/frame.html

In the spirit
of saving costs and keeping the price at a reasonable level, we
are providing a limited selection of beverages and snacks. So 
come prepared! If you cant live without your diet cokes, come
with a supply.

Stay tuned
for final details. We look forward to seeing you in October!